Putting alignment and aiming tool and method of use

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a putting alignment and aiming tool, to assist a user in aligning and aiming a putt on a putting surface with a golf ball. The tool can be colored or in black and white and have a generally horizontally flat coin body with a top flat surface with a middle portion, a bottom flat surface, two linearly squared off sides, a concaved top side and a convex bottom side. The tool is placed behind the golf ball with the bottom flat surface in flat physical contact with the putting surface that indicates an intended putting line. The top flat surface is also visible to the user to assist the user in aligning and aiming the putt on the putting surface with the golf ball towards a hole or practice cup. There is also an overall method of usage for both the colored and black and white tools also.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application61/156,478 filed on Feb. 28, 2009, the entire disclosure of which isincorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD & BACKGROUND

The present invention generally relates to a putting improvement tooland method of use. More specifically, the invention is a puttingalignment and aiming tool and method of use.

It is an object of the invention to provide a golfer with a puttingalignment and aiming tool with a unique colored or black and whitedesign and method of use.

What is really needed is a putting alignment and aiming tool thatutilizes a unique colored or black and white design and a method ofusing the putting alignment and aiming tool to improve a golfer'sputting skills.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described by way of exemplary embodiments,but not limitations, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in whichlike references denote similar elements, and in which:

FIG. 1A illustrates an overhead perspective view of a colored puttingalignment and aiming tool, in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 1B illustrates an overhead perspective view of a black and whitealignment and aiming tool, in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart describing the method steps of using both thecolored putting alignment and aiming tool and black and white puttingalignment and aiming tool, in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Various aspects of the illustrative embodiments will be described usingterms commonly employed by those skilled in the art to convey thesubstance of their work to others skilled in the art. However, it willbe apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention maybe practiced with only some of the described aspects. For purposes ofexplanation, specific numbers, materials and configurations are setforth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the illustrativeembodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art thatthe present invention may be practiced without the specific details. Inother instances, well-known features are omitted or simplified in ordernot to obscure the illustrative embodiments.

Various operations will be described as multiple discrete operations, inturn, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the presentinvention, however, the order of description should not be construed asto imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. Inparticular, these operations need not be performed in the order ofpresentation.

The phrase “in one embodiment” is used repeatedly. The phrase generallydoes not refer to the same embodiment, however, it may. The terms“comprising”, “having” and “including” are synonymous, unless thecontext dictates otherwise.

FIG. 1A illustrates an overhead perspective view of a colored puttingalignment and aiming tool 10. The putting alignment and aiming tool 10is used to assist a user in aligning and aiming a putt on a puttingsurface with a golf ball (user, putting surface and golf ball all notshown). The putting surface can be on a green on a golf course with realgrass, can be on a recreational artificial grass putting surface or anynon-grass putting surface as well. The colored putting alignment andaiming tool 10 has a generally horizontally flat coin body 20 with a topflat surface 30 with a middle area 32, a bottom flat surface 40, twolinearly squared off sides 50, a concaved top side 60 and a convexbottom side 70. The colored putting alignment and aiming tool 10 isplaced behind the golf ball with the bottom flat surface 40 in flatphysical contact with the putting surface that indicates an intendedputting line. The top flat surface 30 of the colored putting alignmentand aiming tool 10 is visible to the user to assist the user in aligningand aiming the putt on the putting surface with the golf ball towards agiven target, typically a practice cup or a hole on a putting surface.

The top flat surface 30 of the colored putting alignment and aiming tool10 has a center line 80 with two side surfaces 82, one to the left ofthe center line 80 and one to the right of the center line 80 that runsdown the middle of the top surface 30. There are also multiple notchesand dials 84 that are on each surface side 82 of the center line 80 toprovide the user with visual guidance and feedback. The center line 80is also coupled with side alignment lines 86 that appear to converge asthe user moves away from the colored putting alignment and aiming tool10. The top flat surface 30 can be multi-colored for visual clarity anddistinctiveness. These can be any known colors and/or any combination ofknown colors for each portion and section of the colored puttingalignment and aiming tool 10 that will enhance the visual clarity of theuser while aligning and aiming his putt. The top flat surface 30 canalso be in black and white for distinct visual contrast, as is describedand illustrated in FIG. 1B and the FIG. 1B description.

FIG. 1B illustrates an overhead perspective view of a black and whitealignment and aiming tool 100. The features and physical characteristicsof the black and white alignment and aiming tool 100 are the same as thecolored putting alignment and aiming tool 10, with the exception of thecolored top flat surface 30. The black and white putting alignment andaiming tool 100 is used to assist a user in aligning and aiming a putton a putting surface with a golf ball (user, putting surface and golfball all not shown). The putting surface can be on a green on a golfcourse with real grass, can be on a recreational artificial grassputting surface or any non-grass putting surface as well. The black andwhite putting alignment and aiming tool 100 has a generally horizontallyflat coin body 120 with a top flat surface 130 with a middle area 132, abottom flat surface 140, two linearly squared off sides 150, a concavedtop side 160 and a convex bottom side 170. The black and white puttingalignment and aiming tool 100 is placed behind the golf ball with thebottom flat surface 140 in flat physical contact with the puttingsurface that indicates an intended putting line. The top flat surface130 of the black and white putting alignment and aiming tool 100 isvisible to the user to assist the user in aligning and aiming the putton the putting surface with the golf ball towards a target, such as apractice cup or a hole on a putting surface.

The top flat surface 130 of the black and white putting alignment andaiming tool 100 has a center line 180 with two side surfaces 182, one tothe left of the center line 180 and one to the right of the center line180 that runs down the middle of the top surface 130. There are alsomultiple notches and dials 184 that are on each surface side 182 of thecenter line 180 to provide the user with visual guidance and feedback.The center line 180 is also coupled with side alignment lines 186 thatappear to converge as the user moves away from the black and whiteputting alignment and aiming tool 100. The black and white puttingalignment and aiming tool 100 has a greater contrast and distinctivenessthan the colored putting alignment and aiming tool 10 because of thestark black and white coloring. Both the black and white puttingalignment and aiming tool 100 and the colored putting alignment andaiming tool 10, however, are both effective in improving a user'sputting alignment and aim. Both the black and white putting alignmentand aiming tool 100 and the colored putting alignment and aiming tool 10utilize their respective concaved top sides 60,160 to encompass and facethe golf ball when one of the respective tools 10,100 are placed behindthe golf ball. This is described in greater detail in the FIG. 2 overallusage method description.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart describing the overall method steps of using bothtypes of putting alignment and aiming tools 200. The overall methodsteps are the same for using the colored putting alignment and aimingtool 10 as they are for using the black and white putting alignment andaiming tool 100. The overall method of usage involves locating the golfball on the putting surface 210, placing the putting tool behind thegolf ball 220, utilizing the putting tool to choose a desired puttingalignment 230 and putting according to the desired putting alignment240. As described in both the FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B descriptions, theconcaved top side 60,160 of one of the tools 10,100 encompasses andfaces the golf ball when one of the tools 10,100 is placed behind thegolf ball. Locating the golf ball on the putting surface 210 issomething that is naturally done during the course of playing a round ofgolf. Utilizing the putting tool to choose a desired putting alignment230 is done by the user after placement of one of the tools 10,100 isproperly made and the user makes a judgment based on the multiplenotches and dials 84,184 and side alignment lines 86,186 on therespective top surface 30,130 of one of the tools 10,100 being used.

While the present invention has been related in terms of the foregoingembodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the inventionis not limited to the embodiments described. The present invention canbe practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit andscope of the appended claims. Thus, the description is to be regarded asillustrative instead of restrictive on the present invention.

1.) A colored putting alignment and aiming tool, to assist a user inaligning and aiming a putt on a putting surface with a golf ball,comprising: a generally horizontally flat coin body with a top flatsurface with a middle area, a bottom flat surface, two linearly squaredoff sides, a concaved top side and a convex bottom side; said tool isplaced behind said golf ball with said bottom flat surface in flatphysical contact with said putting surface that indicates an intendedputting line; and said top flat surface is visible to said user toassist said user in aligning and aiming said putt on said puttingsurface with said golf ball towards a hole on said putting surface and apractice cup.
 2. The tool according to claim 1, wherein said top surfacehas a center line with two side surfaces that run down said middle areaof said top surface.
 3. The tool according to claim 2, wherein multiplenotches and dials are on each said side surface to provide said userwith visual guidance and feedback.
 4. The tool according to claim 2,wherein said center line is coupled with side alignment lines.
 5. Thetool according to claim 4, wherein said side alignment lines appear toconverge as said user moves away from said tool.
 6. The tool accordingto claim 1, wherein said top surface can be any known color and anycombination of any known colors.
 7. The tool according to claim 1,wherein said concaved top side encompasses and faces said golf ball whensaid tool is placed behind said golf ball.
 8. A black and white puttingalignment and aiming tool, to assist a user in aligning and aiming aputt on a putting surface with a golf ball, comprising: a generallyhorizontally flat coin body with a top flat surface with a middle area,a bottom flat surface, two linearly squared off sides, a concaved topside and a convex bottom side; said tool is placed behind said golf ballwith said bottom flat surface in flat physical contact with said puttingsurface that indicates an intended putting line; and said top flatsurface is visible to said user to assist said user in aligning andaiming said putt on said putting surface with said golf ball towards ahole and cup.
 9. The tool according to claim 8, wherein said top surfacehas a center line with two side surfaces that run down said middle areaof said top surface.
 10. The tool according to claim 9, wherein multiplenotches and dials are on each said side surface of said center line toprovide said user with visual guidance and feedback.
 11. The toolaccording to claim 9, wherein said center line is coupled with sidealignment lines.
 12. The tool according to claim 11, wherein said sidealignment lines appear to converge as said user moves away from saidtool.
 13. The tool according to claim 11, wherein said top surface, saidcenter line, said multiple notches and dials and said side alignmentlines are black and white.
 14. The tool according to claim 8, whereinsaid concaved top side encompasses and faces said golf ball when saidtool is placed behind said golf ball.
 15. A method for using a puttingalignment and aiming tool with a generally horizontally flat coin body,with a top flat surface with a middle area, a bottom flat surface, twolinearly squared off sides, a concaved top side and a convex bottomside, to assist a user in aligning and aiming a putt on a puttingsurface with a golf ball, comprising: locating said golf ball on saidputting surface; placing said putting tool behind said golf ball;utilizing said putting tool to choose a desired putting alignment; andputting according to said desired putting alignment.
 16. The methodaccording to claim 15, wherein said concaved top side encompasses andfaces said golf ball when said tool is placed behind said golf ball. 17.The method according to claim 15, wherein a colored putting alignmentand aiming tool and said top surface can be used.
 18. The methodaccording to claim 15, wherein and a black and white putting alignmentand aiming tool and said top surface can be used.
 19. The methodaccording to claim 15, wherein said desired alignment is towards a holeon said putting surface.
 20. The method according to claim 15, whereinsaid desired alignment is towards a practice cup.